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Great New Obsession: Silicone Loaf Pans!

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Silicone Pans

Silicone Loaf Pans

These Silicone Bread Loaf Pans are my newest obsession. Obviously, these silicone pans are available in many colors, from many different companies but these beauties happen to be from SILIVO, sold on Amazon. I’ve always been a huge Amazon shopper, but since the pandemic, I shop almost exclusively online and Amazon is the one I trust the most. They proved their reliability again this past Christmas – of the different online stores I ordered gifts from, they are the only one who had everything delivered in time to wrap and give for Christmas.

I’m still waiting on a few things (that I ordered in November) from Zulily! I know it’s a pandemic and things are slower… but dang.

These silicone pans are everything you hope for them to be when you buy them – they bake perfectly, nothing sticks (HATE STICKING!), cleanup is a breeze, and… to be perfectly honest.. they just look downright gorgeous in the cabinets.

Product Description from Amazon:

  • Set of 2：2 pack silicone bread&loaf pans
  • Multi-Purpose:Size:8.9×3.7×2.5 inches
  • Perfect for Bread, Cake, Brownies, Rice crispy treats, Meatloaf, Cobbler cake, Lasagna, Fruit cakes, Quiche, Pot Pies and more
  • 100% Food Grade Silicone: The silicone cake pan constructed of high-quality Eco-friendly 100 % pure food grade silicone, conforms to the American quality.
  • Non-stick Pan: The flexible silicone and non-stick finish allow for easy and quick release of baked goods and desserts, stain- and odor-resistant.
  • Easy Life: Fridge,Microwave & Oven safe
  • Operating temperature:-20℉~450℉(-30℃~230℃).
  • Easily hand wash by warm soapy or put in dishwasher.

While the Silicone Bread Loaf Pans are ideal for bread (lemon loaves, zucchini bread, banana nut bread, sourdough bread, cranberry orange bread..), my favorite uses may be meatloaf, brownies, and fudge. It may seem unusual to cook brownies in a loaf-size pan, but I had rather divide my brownie mix among two loaf pans than one 8×8 pan – you get more uniform cooking. Nothing messes with a chocoholic’s day quite like baking brownies that are smooshy in the middle and hard around the edges.

Silicone pans, by their very nature, make it all but impossible for brownies to pull off this trick.

I love the same approach to fudge and, again, the silicone beautifully keeps anything from sticking.

(Review Continued Below…)

Silicone Bread Loaf Pans

Silicone Loaf Pans

You can click through to take a closer look at the beautiful Silicone Bread Loaf Pans  shown here. While there, be sure to check out the other silicone cookware and kitchen tools. I am on a mission to cover my kitchen in silicone pans and gadgets – I love them that much.

Testing them out will give me something to do while waiting for my Zulily order!


T-Fal Cookware: Their Non-Stick Pans are a Personal Obsession

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T-fal Non-Stick Fry Pan
This beauty is a personal favorite, my 12″ Non-Stick Fry Pan from T-Fal –the inventor of non-stick! This beauty came from Target, but T-Fal can also be ordered (easily) on Amazon.

T-Fal “Thermo-Spot” technology is something that was new to me, but now I’m completely hooked on it. The Thermo-Spot shows when your pan is ready to use… kind of like the red light that lets you know when your oven is good to go.

It’s amazing to me that someone hadn’t thought of this long ago. Leave it to T-Fal.

I also love that T-Fal Initiatives take the non-stick game to the next level. Seriously, everything slides right off of these pans. I love to make “cheese clumps” for salads and soups – which is simply putting little mounds of shredded cheese onto a skillet and letting them brown and crisp up a little. You’d think these guys would spell DISASTER for clean up, but T-Fal pans, they literally slide right off the skillet and into the dish.

 

As you’d expect from someone who has a food blog, I cook every single day of the week. In fact, when our cats need to find me (to play, feed them, scratch their heads or cater to them in any manner), the first place they look is always the kitchen. Come to think of it, the same’s true for every member of my family… except for the scratching heads part, the human members of my family seldom as for such a thing.

As an avid cook, I have had up close and personal experience with all manners of pots, pans, and cookware in general. If a new cook were to ask me to recommend ONE pan she/he should buy to begin their kitchen collection, I would recommend T-Fal. I love many different pans (including my beloved iron skillet collection), but this is the brand I’d most often recommend.

Why? In a word – perfection. T-Fal cookware is perfect in every single way.

Read more about T-Fal non-stick pans and their ingenious Thermo-Spots on Amazon.


T-fal Non-Stick Fry Pan

The Pioneer Woman’s Stainless Steel Turner: Bought One… Buying Another… With Eyes on Buying a Bunch…

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The Pioneer Woman All Purpose Turner

When it comes to kitchen gadgets, tools, and dishes, it doesn’t take much to make my foodie/cook/food-blogger heart skip a couple of beats. A new spatula, tongs, beautiful coffee mug, or even new wooden spoon (I guess you’ll believe me next time I say it doesn’t take much) leave me positively giddy.

I recently ordered something off Amazon – kind of a late Christmas gift to me, from me: The Pioneer Woman’s All Purpose Turner. My inner foodie and cook wanted to jerk it out of it’s package and put it to use immediately. My inner food-blogger told them both to cool their jets – then she said the words they both have come to hate, “There are pic-tures to taaaake!”

After the obligatory pic-tures were taken, I took it for a test drive with one of my favorite things to cook/eat/photograph – eggs over easy.

The Pioneer Woman All Purpose Turner

Side story: When I was growing up, my mom cooked all of the suppers but my dad cooked all of the breakfasts. It possibly had something to do with the fact that my mom was a night owl who detested mornings. Anyway, he knew how I loved my eggs and we always referred to them as “runny eggs.” (since I was old enough to speak, I wanted them to spill out golden yumminess all over my sausage, bacon, or whatever else was on the plate). I guess I assumed that “runny” was their God-given name, not just a dad-given name, so once we were at a restaurant (I wasn’t very old, in my defense) the server asked how I wanted my eggs. You guessed it, I answered, “Runny” – to which my dad QUICKLY intervened, “Over Easy.” I was really glad he spoke up because the server looked even more loss for words than my husband.

Okay, so I wasn’t that young.

The Pioneer Woman’s All Purpose Turner is beautifully flat so it slid right under the egg without having to be convinced. It has been a dream come true with burgers, veggie burgers, fish, sauteed onions, fried mushrooms, and many runny eggs.

This well-made and great-looking turner is what I’ve always wanted from a spatula/turner and then some. One thing I love (harkening back to the pic-tures perhaps) is that the Pioneer Woman’s All Purpose Turner allows your food to be more beautiful. Why? Simple – because you don’t have to wage war on it in the skillet anymore.

This one qualifies as a MUST HAVE, guys. In fact, it’s even a MUST HAVE if you already have one. I love it so much, I want to add to its family. It’s going to be a large brood.

Runny Eggs


Mega Post of Rachael Ray Dishes, Bakeware, and More

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Rachael Ray Ramekins Set
I’ll admit to a couple of full-blown obsessions in my life:

  • cats
  • polar bears
  • squirrels
  • okay, all animals
  • baseball
  • chai tea lattes
  • coffee
  • chocolate
  • sweet potatoes

Also making the list is Rachael Ray dishes, bakeware, pans, kitchen gadgets… all things Rachael Ray.  I’ve noticed that I’ve begun projecting my obsession onto others.  Not only am I forever telling you about Rachael Ray products you “simply must have…” I’ve started factoring them into my gift-giving.   “Oooh, I should give her a Rachael Ray platter…” “I want to give them a Rachael Ray set of dishes…”

Sigh. I mean well.

It’s just that when you KNOW something is exceptional, you want everyone else to experience it, too.  Trust your girl on this one, if Rachael Ray’s name is on the front of the box, your kitchen will be all the better for it.

Rachael Ray 10
Rachael Ray’s line of beauties come in a gorgeous array of colors. They’ve even added a few colors recently – including a light blue that’s perfect for my oldest daughter’s kitchen. As a matter of fact, yes, I’m trying to snag a billion and one things for her.

Personally, I tend to favor the reds, purples, and deep blues in our kitchen, but I’d certainly never say, “No” to the orange, green, pumpkin, or light blue.

They’re all welcome.

If your kitchen and world of cooking is anything similar to mine – it’s the essence of busyness. At times my kitchen seems like an episode of Iron Chef America. Other times it’s closer to a carnival – but it’s always an aromatic cluster of making, baking, and cleaning it all up.

Rachael Ray Cucina 12 Piece Cookware Set
With all of that going on, dishes and bakeware get chipped, cracked, and sometimes downright shattered.

For whatever reasons (I suspect unicorns may be involved), Rachael Ray dishes and bakeware hold up to whatever my kitchen throws at them.

Is it any reason I’m so obsessed. The fewer things I have to actually replace, the better.

Not only is every item in my Rachael Ray collection sturdy, it performs to absolute perfection. Seriously, I’ve never had a single issue.

Finally, can I just go all girly here and say that one of my favorite things about collecting Rachael Ray dishes, cookware, and bakeware is the colorful prettiness? They’re simply brighter and more beautiful than the rest and, yes…. sometimes looks truly do matter.

Rachael Ray Rise Serving Bowl
As we come to the end of one year and the start of another, I’d love to suggest one thing: Begin your own collection of Rachael Ray merch. Either find the one or two colors that “speak” to you, or go full spectrum and grab every available color. Whichever way you go, you’ll soon be singing the same praises I am.

To everyone who’ll listen…

Rachael Ray Lazy Tongs - Purple
Click through any of the Rachael Ray products in the post above for more information and to find similar items in every conceivable color.

You can also find countless Rachael Ray products on Amazon:

Rachael Ray Round Platter - Red

If you shake a leg (and take advantage of a speedy shipping option), you could even order Rachael Ray products from Amazon and have them in time for Christmas – whether it’s for gift giving or your own table!

Why You NEED the Rachael Ray Stoneware (Review)

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Rachael Ray Bakeware

For my recent birthday, my husband gave me the Rachael Ray Stoneware 1-Quart and 1-1/2-Quart Oval Bubble & Brown Baker Set, Red shown above. He knows I love, love, love Rachael Ray cookware, bakeware, cookbooks…. okay, Rachael Ray anything. I’d seen these beauties online but I was delighted to see that they’re even more beautiful in person.

The first thing I used mine for was Spinach Artichoke Dip.  They’re also ideal for potato casserole, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, baked spaghetti, chicken casserole, etc. I LOVE that they make your food even more beautiful and the handles are simply a stroke of genius.

Product Features

  • Multiple Use Stoneware – Dishwasher, microwave, freezer safe and oven safe to 500-Degree F for convenience and versatility; The glazed interior is nonporous so foods won’t interact
  • Contemporary Design – Contemporary, playful shape in a vibrant and fun color goes directly from oven to table
  • Wide Handles – Extra wide handle holes allow you to get a good grip from any angle
  • Easy Storage – Both items conveniently nest together to save space in your cupboard

I have mine sitting out on a baker’s rack because they’re too beautiful to hide in the cupboard.  These gorgeous stoneware casserole dishes come in a variety of beautiful, vivid colors.  I wanted red first because I go primarily with the colors red, purple, black, and white in our kitchen. Also, how beautiful will they be at Christmas?!

Make no mistake about it, though, I want all the colors! The orange and yellow dishes would be stunning on a Thanksgiving table but they’re also summer-y too.  You can’t go wrong with any of them. I love the personality of Rachael Ray cookware and bakeware.  They’re bright, colorful, playful, and refuse to take life too seriously.  Put these at the top of your Christmas wish list.  No, scratch that…. buy them for yourself today.  They’ll add even more color and beauty to the holidays that are just around the corner!

Take a closer look at these beauties: Rachael Ray Stoneware 1-Quart and 1-1/2-Quart Oval Bubble & Brown Baker Set, Red

George Foreman Healthy Cooking Grill

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George Foreman Grill Review

Yesterday I bought a George Foreman GR144 144-Square-Inch Nonstick Family-Size Grill.

My previous George Foreman Grill was recently broken (by my own clumsiness) and I was EAGER to replace it.

Before I get to the new beauty, let me tell you about my original George Foreman Grill. It was THE original George Foreman Grill… as in the first in the entire impressive line. As in Born in 1994 and still working in 2011. It was a big boy, but I loved it ever so much. And it lasted forever and a week. In fact, it’d still be plugging along if I hadn’t dropped an iron skillet on it. Don’t ask. Suffice to say it gets crazy in my kitchen.

Yesterday, when the adorable store clerk asked if I wanted to pay $3 for a one year warranty, I swallowed a laugh and told her, “George Foreman grills don’t break.” I told her how long I’d had my original grill and her laugh escaped (I didn’t ask if she’d been alive that long, didn’t want to know). She also said she’d been thinking about getting her parents one for Christmas and I gave her the go ahead. You’re welcome, parents.

Naturally, I had to try it out the very day I bought it. Why do the words kid, new, and toy come to mind?

I made Bruschetta Chicken because it seemed like the thing to do. (Recipe in the next post.)

If you don’t have a George Foreman grill, I guarantee you this: You need to buy one asap. When it comes to making chicken, shrimp, burgers, fish, pork, steak, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, or even kabobs – George Foreman grills are simply excellent. They allow you to make magic in the kitchen, and feed your family healthier meals in the process.

Product Features

  • Electric countertop grill provides 144 square inches of cooking space
  • 2 fixed grill plates with double nonstick coating; sloped design
  • Signature Foreman heating elements for fast, even heat distribution
  • Stay-cool handle; on/off switch; drip tray and spatula included
  • Measures approximately 20-4/5 by 15 by 7-4/5 inches
Clean up is such a snap with George Foreman Grills and this particular one seems even MORE simple to clean.  It comes with a long tray that you position near the bottom to catch all of the grease that runs off of the heating surface and away from your food.  It also comes with a handy little plastic device for using to clean the grill plates. It’s ingenious.
If you’re serious about cooking and even more serious about giving your family the healthiest meals possible, I HIGHLY recommend George Foreman grills.  They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Simply find the one that’s right for you.  I chose the George Foreman GR144 144-Square-Inch Nonstick Family-Size Grill because I have plenty of beloved faces to feed.
It feels extra good to know I’m feeding these faces healthier foods.
The pig in the picture at the top of the post?  She…..
  1. Was not on the menu.
  2. Doesn’t come with the grill.

I love pigs, I collect pigs and I completely get my jollies out of posing them with products I’m reviewing.  I don’t know, maybe it’s a Kentucky thing.

Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer Review

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Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo FryerAs I said in a recent post (appropriately enough, another post about Calphalon), if you want to be the best cook on the block, you’d better surround yourself with the best tools on the block.  If you surround yourself with second, third, or fourth best – guess where you’ll fall in the lineup.  Honestly, a serious cook MUST arm himself/herself with quality cookware, bakeware, and other cooking tools.  They last practically forever and allow your creativity and know-how to shine through.

One of the best things a quality pan has going for it is the fact that it isn’t a cheap pan.  Cheap pans (the kind hanging in your department store that are priced so low you think, “This is too good to be true!” – you nailed it) are nightmares to clean as everything seems to stick to them and refuse to let go.  Calphalon Nonstick pans are the complete opposite – they practically wash and put themselves away.

The only thing is, my Calphalon pans are so darn handsome, I refuse to put them away!   It’s like, “Here. Sit out and show off your beauty.”  Besides, they’re used daily, why bother letting them get out of reach?

The Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer shown above is my newest obsession.  I honestly use this gorgeous beast for everything under the sun – make that under the kitchen light.  I don’t fry that many foods, actually, but when I do break down and revert to my southern roots, the shape of this pan is deep and contoured enough to hold plenty of oil without making a spectacular mess.  It’s ideal for frying shrimp, chicken wings, okra, squash, corn nuggets, doughnut holes, and just about anything you can dream up.

I use my new obsession for…

  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • Taco Filling
  • Fried Rice
  • Baked Beans
  • Risotto
  • Squash
  • Asparagus

I named the recipe below in honor of the Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-in. Jumbo Fryer.  After using this pan to make asparagus this way for a dozen times, it seemed only fair.

Simply Delicious Asparagus Recipe

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Heat olive oil in the Simply Calphalon Jumbo Fryer.   Add garlic and the salt and pepper.  Heat the minced garlic for almost a minute,  and make certain you don’t let it brown.  Turn the heat down a little and add the trimmed asparagus.  Cook for 8 – 10 minutes.  Frequently turn the asparagus to ensure even cooking. Also, you may want to adjust the cooking time to suit your own taste. Some people like for their asparagus to be almost noodle limp (not me, not me, not me!) while others want it to have a lot more gumption. I’d rather mine have a little snap to it, actually.  Since stovetops and food preferences vary, always remember to test the asparagus as you go along.

Another tip: When I made Simply Asparagus recently, I added a tsp of Land O’ Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil to the pan before the olive oil.  It gave an extra flavor that was outstanding.

Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12-Inch Jumbo Fryer Product Description:

Deep-fry a few chicken wings, sauté a steak, or pop a casserole in the oven. Deep enough to hold hot oil and even certain stews and sauces. Simply Calphalon makes choosing cookware a simple proposition. Everything that counts in cookware: delicious results, good looks, easy clean-up and durability is built right into it. An ideal choice for cooking enthusiasts of every budget, Simply Calphalon is constructed to meet Calphalon’s strict standards for performance and durability. Designed with an eye toward simple elegance, capturing the essence of Calphalon style. – From Calphalon’s Website

Features:

  • Vessel Construction: Drawn construction.
  • Crafted from a disc of virtually pure, medium-gauge, hard anodized aluminum for even heating.
  • Hard anodized aluminum exterior will not chip or crack.
  • Key Performance: 2 layers of nonstick coating for extended performance.
  • Cooks with little to no oil or fats.
  • Effortless food release.
  • Non-reactive with foods.
  • Safe for use with nylon, coated or wooden utensils.
  • Handles: Contoured, cast stainless steel with silicone for added comfort and heat-resistance. Double riveted for durable performance.
  • Covers: Tempered glass. Allows easy monitoring of the cooking process. Domed shape returns moisture to foods. Stainless steel bands reinforce glass and complements handles.

Everything that counts in cookware; delicious results, good looks, easy clean-up, durability is built right into it!

  • Calphalon’s signature hard-anodized aluminum construction for excellent conductivity and even heating.
  • Tempered glass covers
  • The interior surface is double-coated with Calphalon’s sturdy, reliable nonstick coating.

This is one extra-special pan and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.  Don’t let the name “Jumbo Fryer” fool you, though.  This guy does it all, and beautifully.  Clean up could not be easier – but the real beauty lies in the performance.  Calphalon pans will not let you down.  With Calphalon by your side, you’ll be the cook you always wanted to be.

Click HERE to read more about the Simply Calphalon Nonstick 12 inch Jumbo Fryer.  The price is so extraordinary, I’m tempted to buy a second one.  While asparagus is cooking in one, I can make German Fries in the other.

Man, am I getting hungry….

T-fal and Ingrid Hoffmann? I’m So There!

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T-fal Simply Delicioso Paella Pan from Ingrid Hoffman

I love what I do. I love, love, love what I do. As a web publisher and food blogger, I’m frequently sent pans, kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, chocolate, coffee beans, and appliances to review for Get Cooking.  Everyone knows that I will post my own opinions, for better or worse.  I will always let my readers know exactly what I think about a product.

The wonderful thing about the arrangement is this: If someone is willing to send their products to someone they’ve never met, and trust them to give an honest evaluation to their readers/friends, they have great, great confidence in their product.  Almost without fail, the confidence stems from the fact that…

  • …what they have is outstanding
  • …. they want everyone to know about it

It’s my honor to take part in the process.

This past week I received a pan in the mail that made me 25 kinds of happy – and I didn’t even know there were 25.  First of all, as you know, I’m a TOTAL Food Network fanatic.  Yes, I can list all of the chefs and television personalities.  Yes, I can tell you where Guy has been on Triple D. Yes, I can tell you what Ingrid Hoffmann will be making on the next Simply Delicioso.  Yes, Sunny Anderson lights the room up with her smile.

Another reason the package had me skipping into the house was the fact that I’m a fanatic for something else: T-fal.

  • T-fal = flawless
  • T-fal = quality
  • T-fal = gorgeous
  • T-fal = never gonna let you down

I tore into the box and pulled out a gorgeous T-fal Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffmann Hard Enamel Paella Pan – Red (14″). I wasn’t sure which was prettier, the pan, the picture of Ingrid Hoffmann, or the delectable looking food Ingrid was holding.

I made up my mind that it was a three-way tie but did not (repeat did not) ask my husband for his vote. Why invite trouble, right?

I’m really excited about Ingrid Hoffmann’s T-fal line.  When you combine two names that are at the top of their game, how can you get anything but outstanding?  The Paella Pan is a real beauty.  I know that the true worth of a pan is in how it performs – if it allows you to wax brilliant and impress your loved ones with your dishes – but I’m sorry, I can’t help but notice just how gorgeous it is!

As for the performance……. Well, it’s T-fall so it’s impeccable.  If I loved my Paella pan any more, I’d have to rename one of my daughters Paella.

The T-fal Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffmann Hard Enamel Paella Pan – Red (14″) features a wide, shallow design that’s ideal for preparing paella. However, it has many more tricks up its sleeve. It’s also ideal for braising meat, warming tortillas, making large omelets, and so on. It features a unique Thermo-Spot indicator that turns solid red to let you know when the pan is preheated.

Brilliant!

The pan’s stainless steel buffet handles offer comfortable lifting and handling – from stove to table stylishly and safely.

The T-fal Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffmann Line of Latin-Inspired Cookware

Columbian cook and TV host, Ingrid Hoffmann partners with top cookware and kitchen appliance manufacturer T-fal, to develop her first line of products, T-fal Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffmann. each designed with her Latin recipes in mind, Ingrid is proud to introduce the first 6 pieces to the collection. I know that, like me, you’ll want the entire collection! See the widget below – click through to read more about each wonderful piece.

T-fal Simply Delicioso Open Paella Pan Features

  • From the Simply Delicioso line by Ingrid Hoffmann
  • Heat indicator shows when pan is perfectly preheated
  • Beautifully decorated base provides even heating
  • Non-stick interior is exceptionally durable and scratch resistant
  • Hard enamel exterior is stain resistant and easy to clean

I have a series of Ingrid Hoffman-themed posts, recipes, and articles planned, so be sure to keep an eye out for those.

Click the following link for more information and to take a closer look. Believe me, you’ll want to order the T-fal Simply Delicioso by Ingrid Hoffmann Hard Enamel Paella Pan – Red (14″) right away.